gods_of_olympusfandomcom-20200213-history
Patroclus of Opus
Patroclus was a friend and cousin of the hero Achilles. He was known to have fought and died in the Trojan War, killed by Hector, the prince of Troy. History Patroclus was a son of Menoetius of Opus and Sthenele, and a grandson of Actor and Aegina, whence he is called Actorides. He was a close friend and the cousin of Achilles; his father was the brother of Achilles' grandfather Aeacus Menoetius was a brother of Peleus, so that the friendship between Achills and Patroclus arose from their being kinsmen. When yet a boy Patroclus, during a game of dice, involuntarily slew Clysonymus, a son of Amphidamas, and in consequence of this accident Patroclus was taken by his father to Peleus at Phthia, where he was educated together with Achilles. He is also mentioned among the suitors of Helen. He is said to have taken part in the expedition against Troy on account of his attachment to Achilles. On their voyage thither, the Greeks plundered in Mysia the territory of Telephus, but were repelled, and oin their flight to their ships they were protected by Patroclus and Achilles. During the war against Troy he took ani active part in the struggle, until his friend withdrew from the scene of action, when Patroclus followed his example. But when te Greeks were hard pressed, and many of their heroes were wounded, he begged Achilles to allow him to put on his (Achilles') armour, and with his men to hasten to the assistance of the Greeks. Achilles granted thle request, and Patroclus succeeded in driving back the Trojans and extinguishing the fire which was ragin among the ships. He slew many enemies, and thrice made an assault upon the walls, of Troy; but on a sudden he was struck by Apollo, and became senseless. In this state Euphorbus ran him through with his lance from behind, and Hector gave him the last and fatal blow. Hector also took possession of his armour. A long struggle now ensued hetween the Greeks and Trojans about the body of Patroclus; but the former obtained possession of it, and when it was brought to Achilles, he was deeply grieved, and vowed to avenge the death of his friend. Thetis protected the body with ambrosia against decomposition, until Achilles had leisure solemnly to burn it with funeral sacrifices. His ashes were collected in a golden urn which Dionysus had once given to Thetis, and were deposited under a mound, where subsequently the remains of Achilles also were buried. Funeral games were celebrated in his honour. Achilles and Patroclus met again in the lower world, or, according to others, they continued after their death to live together in the island of Leuce. Patroclus was represented by Polygnotus in the Lesche at Delphi; and on Cape Sigeum in Troas, where his tomb was shown, he was worshipped as a hero. When the tide of war turned away from the Acheans, and the Trojans threatened their ships, Patroclus convinced Achilles to let him don Achilles's armor and lead the Myrmidons into combat. In his lust for combat, Patroclus pursued the Trojans all the way back to the gates of Troy, defying Achilles's order to break off combat once the ships were saved. Patroclus killed many Trojans and allies, including the Lycian hero Sarpedon (a great grandson of Zeus) and Cebriones (the chariot driver of Hector and illegitimate son of Priam). Patroclus was stunned by Apollo, wounded byEuphorbos, and finished off by Hector. At the time of his death, Patroclus had killed 53 enemy soldiers. After retrieving his body, which had been protected on the field by Odysseus and Ajax (Telamonian Ajax), the enraged Achilles returned to battle and avenged his companion's death by killing Hector. Achilles then desecrated Hector's body by dragging it behind his chariot instead of allowing the Trojans to honorably dispose of it by burning it. Achilles's grief was great, and for some time, he refused to dispose of Patroclus's body, but he was persuaded to do so by an apparition of Patroclus, who told Achilles he could not enter Hades without a proper cremation. Achilles sheared off his hair and sacrificed horses, dogs, and 12 Trojan captives before placing Patroclus's body on the funeral pyre. Achilles then organized an athletic competition to honour his dead companion, which included a chariot race (won by Diomedes), boxing (won by Epeios), wrestling (a draw between Telamonian Ajax and Odysseus), a foot race (won by Odysseus), a duel (a draw between Ajax and Diomedes), a discus throw (won by Polypoites), an archery contest (won by Meriones), and a javelin throw (won by Agamemnon, unopposed). The games are described in Book 23 of the Iliad, one of the earliest references to Greek sports. The funeral of Patroclus is described in book 23 of the Iliad. Patroclus is cremated on a funeral pyre, and his bones are collected into a golden urn in two layers of fat. Thebarrow is built on the location of the pyre. Achilles then sponsors funeral games, consisting of a chariot race, boxing, wrestling, running, a duel between two champions to the first blood, discus throwing, archery and spear throwing. The death of Achilles is given in sources other than the Iliad. His bones were mingled with those of Patroclus so that the two would be companions in death as in life and the remains were transferred to Leuke, an island in the Black Sea. Their souls are reportedly seen wandering the island at times. In Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus meets Achilles in Hades, accompanied by Patroclus, Telamonian Ajax and Antilochus. A general of Croton identified either as Autoleon or Leonymus reportedly visited the island of Leuke while recovering from wounds received in battle against the Locri Epizefiri. The event was placed during or after the 7th century BC. He reported having seen Patroclus in the company of Achilles, Ajax the Lesser, Telamonian Ajax, Antilochus, and Helen. In his youth, Patroclus accidentally killed his friend, Clysonymus, during an argument over a game of dice. His father fled with Patroclus into exile to evade revenge, and they took shelter at the palace of their kinsman King Peleus of Phthia. There Patroclus apparently first met Peleus's son Achilles. Peleus sent the boys to live in the wilderness and be raised by Chiron, the cave-dwelling wise King of the Centaurs. Patroclus was somewhat older than Achilles In a post-Homeric version, he is listed among the unsuccessful suitors of Helen of Sparta, all of whom took a solemn oath to defend the chosen husband against whoever should quarrel with him. At about that time Patroclus killed Las, founder of a namesake city near Gytheio, Laconia, according to Pausanias the geographer. Pausanias reported that the killing was alternatively attributed to Achilles. However, Achilles was not otherwise said ever to have visited Peloponnesos. Appearance Personality Capabilities Category:Descendants Category:Mortals Category:Killed by Hector Category:People of the Trojan War